A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes, for each of a plurality of individual storage units collectively comprising a virtual storage unit, mapping an internal address of the storage unit to a unique IP address, wherein each of the storage units comprises a block of storage on one of a plurality of physical storage devices and wherein the IP address includes a virtual storage unit number identifying the virtual storage unit; receiving from a client a request to perform an operation on at least one of the data storage units, wherein the request identifies the internal address of the at least one of the data storage units; translating the internal address of the at least one of the data storage unit to the unique IP address of the at least one of the data storage units; and performing the requested operation on the at least one of the data storage units.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein an IP prefix comprising a plurality of most significant bits (“MSBs”) of each of the IP addresses identifies a storage domain of the plurality of data storage units.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein a plurality of least significant bits (“LSBs”) of each of the IP addresses comprises a storage address space defining a storage space comprising the plurality of data storage units.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein a plurality of MSBs of the storage address space comprises the virtual storage unit number.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the virtual storage unit number and the IP prefix collectively comprise a virtual unit prefix.
6. The method of claim 3, wherein a plurality of LSBs of the storage address space comprises a unit address space comprising an address of an associated data storage unit of the plurality of data storage units.
7. The method of claim 3, wherein the storage address space includes an m-bit replication factor for enabling 2m replicas.
11. The media of claim 10, wherein an IP prefix comprising a plurality of most significant bits (“MSBs”) of each of the IP addresses identifies a storage domain of the plurality of data storage units.
12. The media of claim 11, wherein a plurality of least significant bits (“LSBs”) of each of the IP addresses comprises a storage address space defining a storage space comprising the plurality of data storage units.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein an IP prefix comprising a plurality of most significant bits (“MSBs”) of each of the IP addresses identifies a storage domain of the plurality of data storage units.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a plurality of least significant bits (“LSBs”) of each of the IP addresses comprises a storage address space defining a storage space comprising the plurality of data storage units.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein a plurality of MSBs of the storage address space comprises the virtual storage unit number.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the virtual storage unit number and the IP prefix collectively comprise a virtual unit prefix.
20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein a plurality of LSBs of the storage address space comprises a unit address space comprising an address of an associated data storage unit of the plurality of data storage units.
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March 20, 2016
February 21, 2023
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